Apple Vision Pro 2: What We Know

It seems only a few months ago that we were waxing lyrical about the launch of the Apple Vision Pro, and already the rumour mill is churning out stuff about its replacement. But it seems that we actually may be waiting some time for it to materialise.

Even though the Vision Pro, Apple’s spatial computing device was much anticipated in a tech-savvy market, the company’s first foray into the realm of extended reality was not without its share of problems. Despite Apple’s expansion into new global markets and areas, sales figures still aren’t exactly soaring. The device was seen as being a little too expensive for the mass-market, leaving it a little bit in commercial limbo.

So, a number of rumours have surfaced suggesting that Apple has decided to concentrate on a less expensive version of its flagship product, and has halted development of the next Vision Pro as it is. On the other hand, this does not rule out the possibility that Apple would launch a headset that is even more high-powered. Simply put, it means that there is a significant possibility that we will have to wait what could be a great deal longer before we are able to view the new Apple gadget. Even now as Apple, – like many tech companies – continues to experience tough times, rumours are still swirling about an imminent Pro 2 that is expected to debut somewhere within the next two years.

Where is Apple at Now?

Before we can assess what Apple might do in the future, it is worth understanding where they are now. The answer is, not in a good place. Back in June, Forbes reported that Apple expected sales of the current device to be around half of the 800,000 that they were originally projecting, and were cutting back on production. Moving forward to October and Apple reported to be temporarily closing down production at its bespoke Chinese manufacturing facility.

All of the reports cite one reason in particular for this cessation in manufacturing; the price. With a starting price of $3500 for the Apple set, this amount was far more than the comparable Meta device was selling for. Even if the features aren’t a perfect match for one another, Apple’s pricing point wasn’t even close to being comparable to what was being offered by the competition, and that was the killer. Having supported the Vision Pro for a few months, the Apple execs have decided that the profits just weren’t in it.

That is actually putting things a little lightly. According to sources, Frank Casanova – Apple’s head of Vision Pro marketing – has retired, which is business speak for falling on one’s sword. That shows the seriousness of the situation at the Apple camp, and in many cases would probably signal the end of a company’s interests in a particular area of business. However, with the XR market expected to grow incrementally to around $22 billion annually by 2030, it’s a hard market to ignore.

So, while they have discontinued production of the Vision Pro that doesn’t mean that Apple have thrown in the towel, they are likely to spend some time re-evaluating the market and their response to it. In the short term, that means understanding users and what they want from an XR headset.

As part of the effort to produce a new device, staff at some Apple retail shops are now being requested to fill out questionnaires after providing demos of the Vision Pro to customers who are considering purchasing the product. Apple is interested in learning whether or not they were successful in closing a deal and obtaining any feedback from the potential purchaser about the experience. Apple also wants to make sure that its staff are following the standard twenty-minute demo script in order to verify that the results of their market research are accurate and reflect like-for-like.

What is Apple Doing?

So, what are the rumours telling us? Well, for a start, we are unlikely to be seeing any new hardware before 2026, and that’s a pretty long time in terms of market entry in the technology world. But it means that Apple are really considering options rather than just rehashing what they already have. The company are likely to be spending time looking at materials just as much as the computing system to get those costs down.

We know that Apple are working on a new device simply dubbed ‘N107’ which is likely to be the Vision Pro’s replacement, and there are rumours that it won’t have the poorly- received ‘eye-sight’ mode in which a lot of technology works together just to produce a pair of rather spooky-looking eyes on the outside screen of the device. We can see where Apple might have been going with that, but it’s just unnecessary and requires expensive tech to do it. Other improvements could come from:

• A faster CPU: By the time Apple launches the Vision Pro 2, the next-generation M4 processor is expected to be ready. This would provide the new headset a considerable advantage over the original gadget equipped with its M2 CPU.
• Lens and display enhancements: Apple is expected to incorporate OLED panels in its next headset to provide better visuals with less battery usage. Speculation indicates that new lenses will be introduced to enhance the quality and clarity of the pictures perceived by consumers.
• Advanced AI: Due to the growing emphasis on AI within the XR domain, it is quite probable that this technology will be prominently included in the next headset. A novel generative AI assistant tailored for the Vision Pro may be introduced.

The Apple Vision Pro was unique in its lack of controllers, but cutting back the technology and including controllers may actually help to make the product cheaper and more appealing. Another consideration may be whether Apple opts to include controllers and accessories within its new headgear. While many users liked the absence of controllers for content interaction on the Vision Pro, it seems that the majority of users actually prefer utilising controllers for certain applications and enhanced precision. In the future, Apple may opt to develop controllers like that of the Meta Quest 3 Pro, and actually gain a lot more admirers.

The weight is a further area that Apple are likely to be looking at. The current model has been criticised for being a bit weighty to wear for protracted periods of time, and anything – such as section of materials – that can be done to bring that down will be well-received by the public.
If Apple can shave $2,500 off the cost of the new headset and bring the weight down a bit, then they are likely to be in with a chance of hitting the same market as the Meta Quest Pro, and that will put them in a pretty good commercial place.

Final Thoughts.
Taking time to assess how the market is panning out is a good idea, but one that Apple shouldn’t take too long over. The longer they stay out of this technology, the harder it will be for them to re-enter it.

Undeniably, the Apple Vision Pro was ground-breaking, and had it been realistically priced it would have been a market-crushing device. But its cost – and the return on investment (ROI) that it represented – was just too far from the mass-market that is the major user of this kind of equipment. If Apple can sort that, then they will have a winner.

We at Unity Developers are looking forward to Apple’s next foray into the exciting world of XR, and hope that they get the balance of cost against performance right this time. If you have a project that you are keen to discuss, why not contact us at Unity Developers, and see how we can help you?